Meads felt his best work in answering his skipper's demands came in the 1965 series against the Springboks when he had to mark the explosive lineout technician Frik du Preez. It was some battle with Meads amazed at the relentless drive of his opponent.

He was immensely excited about the chance to tour South Africa in '67 and do battle with the Springboks on their own turf.

"When the tour was cancelled, I was terribly disappointed and with the pressure of work increasing, I gave rep and international rugby away," he said.

He locked the All Black scrum eight times with his brother against the Boks and Lions.

"We had a bond, Stan was a natural, a real athlete," Pinetree said of his sibling. "He was a leaper too, a springheel."

The younger Meads suffered some terrible injuries with problems in both knees, appendicitis, concussions and broken bones but his talent then his energy to make a go of his farm stood out for those close to him.